Fruits of the Spirit

 The link for this week's live-streamed service is 

Rev. Harold McNabb

As Rev. Irwin is on sick leave for the next two Sundays, we have guest ministers, Rev. Harold McNabb and Rev. Reid Chudley filling in at the pulpit.

Rev. McNabb was a recent visitor to our church as part of the presbytery visitation team in April. So, he knows a lot about SPPC while we might not know him so well.

Harold is originally a native of Southern Alberta, but has lived on Vancouver Island since 1980.

He is the former minister of West Shore Presbyterian Church in Langford and most recently interim minister

at Knox PC in Sooke. He is married to Valerie and they have 4 children and 5 amazing grandsons.

When not preaching elsewhere, they are members and attend Knox, Victoria.

Curious as I am, I looked him up on Google.

Among other things I found several of his contributions to the PresbyCan Daily Devotional series. I have that devotional delivered to my inbox every morning, but I hadn't seen the ones from Rev. McNabb. They were before I was a subscriber.

One in particular caught my attention. It was concerned with naming a new church he had been called to on Vancouver Island. On the drive across Canada he contemplated different names.   We are almost at the end of the Trans-Canada highway and have many seniors, and so I thought "Last Chance Presbyterian" would be good. No one else seems to agree 

When that idea didn't fly, he considered the Fruits of the Spirit.  Lutheran denomination favours such names as Peace and Grace, two of the fruits of the Spirit. In that vein he had a couple of suggestions for a church name. It is curious too, don't you think, that no one uses all the fruits of the Spirit for naming churches. I've suggested the name "Long-suffering Presbyterian Church", and get some knowing glances. . . .Come to think of it, I don't care for that name or even "Patience Presbyterian", though is has a nice sound.

On Pentecost Sunday our choir sang an anthem titled "Gifts of the Spirit," and named those gifts as love, joy and peace.

Now, wouldn't a church named "Joy Presbyterian," confuse folks?

Several years ago, we did a Bible Study on nine Fruits of the Spirit-- love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Other sources include generosity, modesty and chastity in the list. 

The point of Rev. McNabb's devotional was not about the naming of Christian virtues, but rather the outward expression of those values. that in the long run we will be known by our fruit, if not named by them.

No matter which list we look at, love is always at the top. I was heartened recently when a friend, not a member of SPPC, remarked "There is so much love that comes down from your church. . ."

Although our church has an awkward name - Saanich Peninsula Presbyterian Church -- does not trip lightly off the tongue, it is reassuring to know that we bear fruit.

We'll miss Rev. Irwin in the pulpit this coming Sunday, but I look forward to hearing from Rev. McNabb.

P.S. I'm still looking for Father's Day memories. Please send them to me at avaldal@shaw.ca by Friday, June 16. Thanks.